HT&E reshuffles management ranks as post Adshel streamlining continues
HT&E has slimmed its management ranks with a round of redundancies in the ARN executive team and its own leadership group.
The winner from the reshuffle is ARN’s Melbourne and Adelaide commercial director, Peter Whitehead, who takes the role of chief commercial officer, replacing Emma-Jane Owens.
Peter Whitehead takes the role of ARN’s chief operating officer
The changes come as ARN CEO Rob Atkinson prepares to step down after HT&E disposed of its Adshel out-of-home assets for $570m to Ooh Media, a move that effectively halved the sized of the group.
Along with Owens, other casualties of the changes include Mason Rook, ARN’s commercial director for Sydney and Brisbane, Tony Kendall, HT&E’s chief revenue officer, and Greg Tremain, HT&E’s partnerships director.
HT&E chief executive and managing director Ciaran Davis told Mumbrella last month the group’s priority was to streamline and simplify its operations following the Adshel sale.
Davis said in the latest announcement: “I would sincerely like to thank EJ, Mason, Tony and Greg for their contribution to ARN and HT&E and we wish them all the very best.
“EJ joined us in 2017 in the newly created role of chief commercial officer and during her time at ARN was part of the executive team in renewing ARN’s vision and made progress in reviewing ARN’s commercial approach to market. Mason joined ARN a year ago and in that time has made a significant contribution to the Sydney and Brisbane markets.
“I would like to thank Tony and Greg for their tireless efforts in taking the group proposition to market and to Tony in particular for his previous leadership as CEO at ARN.
“I congratulate Peter on his new position as chief commercial officer. Pete has driven some great success in the Melbourne and Adelaide markets and we look forward to having him in this expanded role.
“As I’ve said recently, HT&E is a fantastic business with a portfolio of high quality investments, and a balance sheet the envy of the traditional media sector. These changes are a result of our objectives to optimise the cost structure, reduce corporate costs and ultimately set the business up for ongoing operational effectiveness and further growth.
“ARN underpins HT&E as a market leading radio business and I’m looking forward to working with all our team to achieve ARN’s vision to create the future of audio entertainment focussing on our strengths in content creation, audience delivery and our relationships with advertisers.”
Whitehead joined ARN in 2016 after three years as Ooh Media’s national sales manager. Prior to that, he had spent 14 years with Southern Cross Austereo.
Well done to Pete and team! Fantastic appointment and well deserved.
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Huge loss for ARN, you could see that Emma and Mason were finally starting to turn that business..
Looks like Ciaran is getting rid of any new blood as they downsize and prep for a sale.
Both of them are a formidable force and will be snapped up.
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I think below quote is rather telling.
“EJ joined us in 2017 and made progress in reviewing ARN’s commercial approach to market.”
If your biggest achievement is reviewing an approach, then obviously you need to go.
After two years you should have delivered much more.
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ARN has certain knack for stacking completely unsuitable people in senior roles..at least this time they got rid of some of them.
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Congrats Pete. Great operator and a good guy too.
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Congrats Whitey – well deserved !
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Congratulations Whitey. Great operator and leader.
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